What Is My Case Worth?

Rogers, AR Truck Accident Attorneys

KNOW THE FACTS AFTER AN ACCIDENT

It is the job of insurance companies and the adjusters they hire to settle your accident and injury claim for the least amount of money. It is our job at Caddell Reynolds to settle your insurance claim for the most money. It’s that simple. We are your advocate and will go the distance to represent your best interests at all times. You deserve maximum compensation for your claim and should not have to face the insurance company alone. The harsh reality is that many insurance agents are paid bonuses to keep claims low and do not always have your best interest in mind.

Tractor trailer accidents occur daily in the United States. With so many trucks on the roads, working to transport goods throughout the country, drivers are pushed to maintain strict schedules and timelines. Often this alone can cause undue stress on truck drivers, which can lead to accidents.

WHAT CAN CAUSE A TRUCK ACCIDENT?

The trucking accident lawyers at Caddell Reynolds understand that the driver may share liability with other parties, including the following:

Trucking companies – Drivers must follow the rules and regulations set forth by their employers. Companies may require them to drive too long without rest, put inexperienced drivers on long hauls before they are ready to handle them or even put trucks on the road with an imbalanced load or without proper maintenance.

Maintenance personnel – Improper inspections or rushed maintenance can cause serious problems, particularly when brakes or tires are involved. Whether the maintenance personnel works for the company or maintenance is performed by an outside shop, a truck accident attorney needs to know the facts to ensure everyone responsible for an accident is named in a suit.

Local, state and federal government – The true cause of a big vehicle accident may be an encounter with a sinkhole or other major road flaw that is the responsibility of local, state or even federal government. The attorneys at Caddell Reynolds have the skills and experience to pursue even these difficult cases.

Contact us Today for Help, You’ll be Glad You Did.

Caddell Reynolds has been serving Arkansas & Oklahoma clients for many years. Our experienced Rogers truck accident attorneys are dedicated to finding solutions to problems for our clients. Contact us at one of our offices near you for a free consultation.

Rogers Office:
211 Second Street, Rogers, AR 72756800-671-4100

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation about your case at our Rogers office, which is located at 211 Second Street, Rogers, AR, 72756. We can also meet at a location that is more convenient for you.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys, fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page, or call Caddell Reynolds Injury Law at 800-671-4100.

Rogers is a city in Benton County, Arkansas. Located in the northwest portion of Arkansas, it is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan area, and contains a population of 55,964 citizens. This makes it the eighth most populous city in the state. The city gets its name from Captain Brent Elliott Rogers, who was vice president and manager of the Frisco Railway.

Rogers Legal Resources:

Arkansas Bar Association– The ArkBar represents its members’ interests, provides money-saving services, promotes the profession, and alerts members to the issues created by proposed legislation that affect their law practice.

Benton County Clerk – The Benton County Clerk is responsible for licensing and certifications, including marriage, in addition to voter registration and elections. The County Clerk also serves as the court secretary for the probate and county court, as well as additional duties to the quorum court.

Benton County Courts Office – The Benton County Courts Office handles data entry of files with regards to the court, maintenance of the files for all courts, and maintenance of the dockets for the Circuit Judges.

What you need to know if you are in a Truck Accident

Automobile accidents can lead to serious injury, legal expenses, and insurance costs. However, not all collision cases are handled the same way. Crashes involving an 18-wheeler often involve negligence on the part of the truck driver or the trucking company. Drivers of commercial motor vehicles including 18-wheelers are held to strict laws governing their maintenance, repair, and operation.

As such, these cases are treated very differently from those involving non-commercial vehicles. Even if the insurance companies deny you compensation, you may still have a valid claim depending on the condition of the opposing vehicle. An attorney experienced in supporting Arkansas 18-wheeler accident cases can get to the bottom of your case and secure rightful compensation. Many people involved in 18-wheeler accidents aren’t aware of the unique laws that can win your case. Here’s what you need to know:

1. THERE ARE STRICT LAWS GOVERNING TRUCK DRIVER BEHAVIOR.

New federal commercial motor vehicle laws restrict the number of consecutive hours truck drivers can operate an 18-wheeler. There are also strict limitations on food and beverage consumption, cargo, and other operating procedures in order to prevent severe accidents on the highway.

Including cargo, 18-wheelers can easily reach weights of 30 tons or more. The force of such an object colliding with a car one tenth of its mass can produce deadly results. A specialized Arkansas 18-wheeler accident attorney can verify whether the trucking company was compliant with the various laws and hold them accountable in the event of an accident.

2. MOST COMMERCIAL 18-WHEELERS HAVE A BLACK BOX RECORDING DEVICE.

Black boxes and GPS devices automatically activate in response to sudden changes in vehicle movement, such as rapid acceleration or sudden braking. Once activated, these gadgets automatically record crucial information about the truck, including:

Engine speed

Vehicle location

If and when application of the brake occurred

This data can help an accident attorney piece together the accident and prove your claim against a negligent 18-wheeler driver.

3. TRUCK DRIVERS MUST PROVIDE SUFFICIENT VEHICLE DOCUMENTATION.

Federal motor carrier laws require truck drivers to have their 18-wheelers regularly inspected and retain this documentation. In Arkansas, 18-wheeler accident cases require the truck driver to provide recent inspection reports detailing the vehicle’s condition before and after the trip. Drivers must also retain copies of work and repair orders to verify the truck’s compliance with road safety standards. A qualified accident attorney can subpoena such documents to prove your personal injury case.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries or death due to truck driver negligence, you need to take action. Don’t wait to have your case evaluated. Federal regulations require drivers to retain vehicle inspection documentation only for a set period. After the expiration date, the trucking company can discard the documents, and you may no longer have a valid claim against them.

The 5 Legal Arguments Used to Reach 18-Wheeler Accident Settlements

If you are involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, you should be aware of the legal arguments your truck accident attorney can use when seeking compensation for your injuries and damages. There are strict laws in place that govern the maintenance, repair, and operation of an 18-wheeler as well as the professional conduct of the truck driver. If the driver or trucking company is found to be in violation of any of these laws when an auto accident occurs, there are clearly defined legal arguments that could help your attorney in court, or to reach an 18-wheeler accident settlement. The first thing you should do after an 18-wheeler accident is call the authorities. Their documentation will be vital in the legal claims that are made in court.

DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT

There are federal regulations that dictate a high level of quality control for commercial trucks, such as the air brake systems. If an investigation reveals that the accident was caused by a defect in one of the truck’s main components, it might mean a case against the supplier or manufacturer of the equipment. This argument falls under a legal theory known as product liability, and it can be a decisive factor in an 18-wheeler accident settlement.

In Arkansas, 18-wheeler accident cases require the truck driver to provide recent inspection reports detailing the vehicle’s condition before and after a trip. Records of compliance with road safety standards must be maintained by the driver who should keep all work and repair orders for verification. A qualified truck accident attorney can subpoena such documents to determine whether the driver and trucking company maintained compliance.

DRIVING OFFENSES

The legal concept at play with legal driving offenses is known as negligence per se. In essence, this means that the driver of the truck is negligent based on a violation of the law. This may be as mild as speeding, but can be as serious as drinking while driving. In order to prove negligence per se, your truck accident attorney will explain in court how the law was intended to prevent the accident and/or injuries that occurred and show evidence of how the law was violated.

BAD DRIVER HIRED

All 18-wheeler drivers are required by law to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). In order to obtain a CDL, the driver must past a rigorous exam, have no prior disqualifying criminal offenses such as a DUI, and pass a physical exam. If you discover that the driver of the truck in your accident does not have a CDL, your attorney may make this legal argument. Even if the driver has a CDL, if they have a history of prior convictions related to negligent or drunk driving, they should not have been hired. Your truck accident attorney can find out if a bad driver was hired. The theory of liability, respondeat superior, dictates that the trucking company would be held responsible for the actions of the driver working within the scope of their employment.

DRIVER FATIGUE

Was the 18-wheeler driver tired when the accident occurred? If so, this legal argument may help your attorney’s case to reach a settlement. There are Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules and regulations on how much time truck drivers can spend on the road before taking a break. Thanks to the records that the trucking company is legally required to keep, your truck accident attorney will be able to determine if the truck driver was put in a situation where fatigue could have caused the accident.

WAGE AND HOUR VIOLATIONS

Related to driver fatigue, wage and hour violations are serious offenses, especially if the truck driver is involved in an auto accident, which could be the basis for an 18-wheeler accident settlement. With strictly enforced limits on how many hours a truck driver can work in a row coupled with the fact that drivers keep their own records, a driver could falsify their records. Uncovering that a truck driver has committed an hour violation can lead to a settlement in your favor.